Ibabao-Estancia chief’s appeal: Stop discriminating against brgy hall workers

The Barangay captain of Ibabao-Estancia is appealing to the public not to discriminate barangay residents especially barangay hall workers. | Google street view of barangay hall

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The barangay captain of Ibabao-Estancia in Mandaue City is appealing to the public to stop discriminating against the people from their barangay especially those working in the barangay hall.

Barangay Captain Romulo “Tingy” Echavez Jr. made the appeal after some of the members of the staff of the barangay hall were not allowed to enter some of the establishments after they heard reports of allegedly one of the employees of the barangay hall having been tested positive of the virus.

Echavez said that the report about the barangay hall staff members being positive of the virus was fake news.

“Mao gyud na siyay problema ron namo kay they were receiving fake news noh, nga ang tanan kunong staff diri sa atong barangay nagpositive,” said Echavez.

(That is our problem now because they were receiving fake news that all the staff members here in the barangay hall have been tested positive of the virus.)

This fake report allegedly surfaced after a positive case was found in Barangay Ibabao-Estancia last Friday, May 22, 2020.

Read more: Mandaue City logs 1 new COVID case for May 22

He clarified that one of the workers of the barangay hall was a mother-in-law of that COVID-19 patient.

He assured that for now, there was no confirmed positive cases among the barangay hall workers and that included the mother-in-law of the COVID-19 patient.

He also said the mother-in-law had already been isolated, and we were just waiting for the swab test results.

“Ang mother-in-law ani gi isolate, waiting for the result of the swab test pa sad ni sila along sa 15 ka tawo nga nakaclose contact atong nagpositive,” he added.

(The mother-in-law of the COVID patient is now in isolation and still awaiting the results of the swab test along with 15 others, who have been in close contact with the patient.)

He also said that the results should be ready by Wednesday or Thursday this week.

He said that if the mother-in-law would turn out positive of the virus, then everyone from the barangay hall would undergo swab testing.

“Pananglitan magpositive to siya possible nga maglockdown ang barangay hall, but as of now wala pay positive gyud sa mga staff sa barangay hall,” said Echavez.

(If for instance, that member of the staff from the barangay hall will be tested positive, then there is a possibility that the barangay hall will be put under lockdown.)

He also said that the pregnant patient, who tested positive last Friday, had already been admitted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

He again made the appeal to his constituents and the rest of the Mandauehanons to stop discriminating against those living in the barangay, especially those working in the barangay hall./dbs